Five people shot at New York’s West Indian American Day parade: Police

The suspect fled the scene after the shooting, which took place around 2:35 p.m. along the parade route. This incident is the latest in a concerning trend of violence at the parade, a major annual celebration of Caribbean culture, as reported by AP.

The parade, which had commenced hours earlier, saw thousands of participants dancing and marching along Eastern Parkway, one of Brooklyn’s main thoroughfares. Despite the shooting, the festivities were expected to continue into the night.

Of the five victims, two were critically injured, while the other three are expected to survive, according to Chell.

An Associated Press videographer on the scene witnessed at least two individuals being treated for injuries to the face and arm.

NYPD members gather near the scene of a shooting along the annual West Indian American Day parade route, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US. (Reuters)

The West Indian American Day Parade continued uninterrupted despite the shooting incident that injured five people, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer completing the route. Police secured the area near the shooting, gathering evidence as the parade proceeded.

Chief of Patrol John Chell urged witnesses to share any video footage, stressing the importance of community assistance in solving the case.

The 57th annual parade is a testament to the Caribbean community’s vibrancy, featuring elaborate costumes, feathered attire, and colorful flags, demonstrating the power of culture and resilience in the face of adversity.

The event is a major attraction, drawing large crowds along the nearly two-mile route from Crown Heights to the Brooklyn Museum.

A NYPD member gestures near the scene of a shooting along the annual West Indian American Day parade route, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US. (Reuters)

It also holds significant importance for local politicians, many of whom have West Indian heritage or represent the city’s substantial Caribbean community.

However, the parade has been marred by violence over the years. In 2016, two people were killed, and several others wounded near the parade route.

The previous year, Carey Gabay, an aide to then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, was fatally shot during pre-parade festivities.

The West Indian American Day Parade has its origins in early 20th-century pre-Lenten Carnival celebrations initiated by a Trinidadian immigrant in Manhattan. In the 1940s, the festivities were moved to the warmer Labor Day weekend.

Brooklyn, home to a significant Caribbean population, has hosted the parade since the 1960s. Today, the parade is the culmination of several days of carnival events in the city, including a steel pan band competition and J’Ouvert, a separate street party celebrating emancipation from slavery.

(with inputs from AP)

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